Tracy Chapman becomes the first Black person to win Song of the Year at the CMAs

Correction. - several Grammys!

Also her duet of Baby Can I Hold You with Pavarotti is just sublime - one of the most beautiful performances

Under the radar? She won a Grammy at the time. Her songs were never off the radio!

Not at all chastened by the facts? Nothing to say about Tracey Chapman being rediscovered rather than newly discovered?

Thank you for sharing the link @IwantToRetire thats the most glorious way to start the day - absolutely sublime performance.

I love her and this song. Her voice is so beautiful. I’m happy if Combs’ version bring her more attention from a new audience. She’s untouchable by any cover version. He was rightfully aware how lucky he was to share a stage with her.

Lindsay Zoladz in the NYT:

They traded a few lines and harmonized beautifully on the chorus — her tone opalescent, his bringing some grit — but Combs never overshadowed Chapman. He knew that in that moment, no one could. Something about the way he looked at her said it all: His eyes shone with irrepressible respect. Here was a grown man, an assured performer who sells out stadiums, visibly trembling before the sight and the sound of the folk singer Tracy Chapman. [...]
The song, during Chapman and Combs's five-minute performance, felt incredibly spacious — larger than the limitations of genre, welcoming and expansive enough to hold every single person it had ever touched, regardless of the markers of identity that so often divide us. It was a rare reminder of music's unique ability to obliterate external differences. "Fast Car" is about something more internal and universal. It is a song about the wants and needs that make us human: the desire to be happy, to be loved, to be free.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/05/arts/music/tracy-chapman-fast-car-grammys.html?

I really enjoyed their Grammy's performance.

I don't really understand the angst from some people over Combs having a hit with his cover version. It doesn't dilute Chapman's own original recording. That will always be a timeless classic. Which is why it was such a hit in 2023, a song like that does not date. I'm not much of a country fan but I do love the tone of LC's voice. And I really liked that he didn't change the 'I'll work in the market as a checkout girl' lyric. He's clearly a massive fan of the song and of Chapman. And I thought they both looked thrilled to be on stage together. Tracy was glowing.

But it’s common for artists to see a renewed interest because of a cover, or a pop culture use or a sample. Dolly Parton’s I Will Always Love You was recorded in 1973. It went ballistic in 1992, biggest single of the year and biggest selling single by a female recording artist. I’m sure Dolly was happy people rediscovered her song when the pay checks started rolling in.

Same with Kate Bush. A song featured on Stranger Things and all of a sudden there’s a rediscovery of her music and she’s topping the charts again. I don’t see how any of these things are sad.

And she won the award not him. It goes to the songwriter. She just didn’t accept it in person.

Which is ridiculous considering the many amazing black singer song writers but there we go. And in some ways it's sad that her son Fast Cars has been rediscovered due to a white man doing a cover. Last month or December he won another accolade off same song

Yes, the song was huge when it came out. Part of the soundtrack of my youth! I'm not quite sure why anyone would think she was under-recognised at the time, except perhaps by one or two specific industry entities. But at any rate, I'm glad that she is getting renewed recognition now, so that younger listeners can catch up.

Tracey Chapman won 23Grammys 1989. Best New Artist, Best Contemporary Folk Album, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. So she and the song were both widely recognized when it originally came out.

This time it was recognized by Country Music Awards for Song of the Year, since she wrote it. And while the CMA's may get some flak for not recognizing black musicians, there just aren't that many black country singers or writers in general.

Good for her, I have always enjoyed her work.

Tracey was definitely casting some shade on poor Luke with her beautiful performance. He was whiny and underpowered in comparison. Word to the wise Luke: keep it solo if you want to retain any cred.

Mine DC too - I normally walk in singing along to an old track. The look of astonishment - "how do you know the words to this?" I go and rescue my vinyl single or album!!

Thanks for the link, Notbadconsidering. It is wonderful. Fast Car is one of my all-time favourite songs and it is wonderful to see her as a gorgeous beautiful older woman, singing it with such joy.



Hahahahaha - rolling stone had her on the cover in 1988. 

Congratulations to Tracy (and Luke!). It’s a great song, you deserve it.

I remember her being huge in the 80s.
Anyone born in the 90s or later probably wouldn't have heard of her. I'd say they wouldn't know cindi lauper either.

Wow, she is an amazing singer, an amazingly talented songwriter and an extremely beautiful woman. But I'm a bit confused about the hype around this. She, and Fast Car, were HUGE in the UK. Was she not as successful in the US? She certainly seems to have won plenty of nominations and awards. This does all feel a bit, ooh look aren't we great, letting this 'unknown' black woman have some success and
Combs seems to be in awe of the fact he’s performing it on stage with her
Yeah, I'm not getting that, I'm getting 'Aren't I great, allowing her to be a part in my fame journey, bet she's sooo glad I chose her song'.
I dunno, maybe I'm just being pissy, but something's off. She's amazing. She was always amazing. Fuck tons of people already knew she was amazing but there seems to be a different narrative being written.....pfft.